April Fools
by ignorant-loquacity
Summary: Harry plays an April fools day prank, and it goes horribly wrong. Or does it? (one-shot, HPSS, slash)


DISCLAIMER: All of the characters are the property of the wonderful J.K.Rowling.

**April Fools**.

It was supposed to be funny.

This was the thought that stuck in the DADA professor's head as he raced towards the dungeons. Perplexed students watched curiously as Harry Potter skidded round the corner and out of sight, but then nothing he did ever escaped attention, even 10 months after his spectacular defeat of Voldemort. Fortunately, today their professor was too much of a blur to them for his expression to be noticed, for he was far from his usual cheerfulness.

Reaching the solid oak door that led to Snape's chambers, Harry optimistically tried several basic unlocking spells, but gave up when he felt the power of the locking charm behind it. Too impatient in his panic to break through it, he aimed his wand in a slightly different direction and said '_arscendre'_, watching in satisfaction as the hinges melted, leaving the door hanging open. Squeezing through, he sprinted through the room and threw open the door beyond.

'Snape, I……. Oh, bugger.'

Faced with nothing but an empty, gloomy bathroom Harry took a second to collect himself before rushing out again and through the next door he found. Thankfully, this proved to be the one he sought, and not the fabled torture chamber that so many students gossiped about. Seeing a shape lying still on the bed, he advanced in trepidation, and what he saw did nothing to calm his anxiety.

The potions master lay face up, thin arms crossed over his chest in unconscious parody of the vampire that many believed him to be. His usually pale complexion was now deathly white, which was made worse by the contrast to his raven black hair, which limply framed his face. Harry's fears were confirmed when he clasped the man's cold wrist, and felt only the tiniest pulse there. Had someone told him but one year ago that Snape was in a coma, he would have probably been happy to have him out of the way, but now..

But now the young man sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, looked at him with glistening eyes and stifled a sob.

'I'm sorry', he whispered, feeling as though his heart had been pierced with a knife. 'I'm so sorry, it was supposed to be funny. The twins said the chalk would only create a cloud of smoke when you picked it up, it was never supposed to..' Harry chocked again, then continued in a strained voice. 'Dumbledore said you were knocked backwards into the stone wall. He told us in the staff-room just before lunch, and none of the other teachers..' a single tear ran down his face, 'none of them even cared.'

Harry succumbed to his anguish, and threw himself down onto the quilt next to Snape. 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry', he sobbed, tears landing on the bed and a portion of the older man's hair that he had unwittingly landed on. 'Please wake up, please, I can't….' He took a deep breath and raised his head to look at his former teacher's expressionless face. 'Seeing as I've ruined our friendship,' here he tried to smile, but failed miserably, 'I may as well say this.' Another deep breath. 'Severus, I love you. I know it's useless, you hate me, you always have, but I can't help the way I feel. I won't ever try anything, just please, please, wake up!' Harry trailed off, burying his face back in the duvet, whispering 'please be ok', over and over.

Breathing made erratic by his weeping, Harry inhaled deeply in a vain attempt to calm himself. As he did, he caught a distinctly familiar odour emanating from Snape, that spoke of cinnamon and… wormwood? He was processing this information when the inert body next to him suddenly uncrossed its arms and sat up, a smug expression on its increasingly less pallid face.

'It is my great pleasure to inform you, Potter, that you are an April fool. Although the latter part goes without saying, really.' The potions master spoke laconically, obsidian eyes sparkling as Harry threw himself off the bed in surprise. Standing unsteadily, he stared at Snape, eyes house-elf like in shock.

'But..'

'The Weasleys may have been terrible students, but their products do, lamentably, work. I was not particularly amused by being covered in white chalk, especially as I was teaching a class of first years at the time. Revenge, as you see, has long been a speciality of the Slytherin house.'

Still reeling, Harry was torn between the angry voice in his head and the joyous one in his heart, but the former seized control of his vocal cords first.

'You used a potion! You…' He ran a hand through his hair distractedly, cheeks still wet from tears. 'Do you have any idea how I felt?'

'Due to your sentimental little speech earlier, I have some idea.' Snape's eyes became unreadable as he stared intently at Harry.

'Oh. You heard…….everything?' he replied, his sense of relief replaced by one of embarrassment.

'Yes', said Snape, wanting to leave the boy with the option to back out, even though every fibre of his being was begging him not to.

Gryffindor courage rising, Harry wrenched his eyes from the floor, where they had fallen in his shame, and returned the older man's gaze.

'I meant what I said. About loving you, I mean.'

At this, Severus smiled at Harry, a smile of pure happiness untainted by his usual sarcasm or scorn. His velvety voice, given an almost musical quality by the joy behind his words, replied,

'For once, Harry, our feelings are mutual.'

With that, Snape pulled his colleague, who was now wearing a matching smile, onto the bed beside him. Wrapping his arms tightly around the young man's warm waist, he leaned in and brushed his lips over Harry's, enticed by their softness. Encouraged by the moan he received in response, Severus deepened the kiss, his insides melting as his tongue explored Harry's mouth, the boy's talented tongue enthusiastically inviting him in. Breathless, the two broke apart momentarily, looking into each other's eyes and finding only happiness there.

'You do realise,' murmured Harry, voice low and highly seductive to Severus' ears, 'that I'll have to get you back for this next year.'

The older man elegantly arched an eyebrow, about to express his disbelief that such a feat could be accomplished. However, Harry, with Slytherin-like cunning, kissed him before he could make such a response.

Hi. This was just a quick idea, the plot's full of holes and I don't think it came out very well, but take it for what it is… Reviews are always very much appreciated, and thank you to all the wonderful people who have reviewed my other stories. (Which I'll now get back to finishing…)


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